Device for the treatment of liquids by mechanical vibration

ABSTRACT

A device treats liquids such as water by mechanical vibration. This vibration reaches a useful frequency by the harmonics of the primary vibration, for the destruction or inhibition of microbiological organisms contained in the water. This primary vibration is obtained by the passage of the liquid through a helix that carries the liquid, which in turn impacts and displaces a plurality of rods or elongated elastic bodies in order to obtain a mechanical vibration. This vibration is preferably controlled by the action of the electrical capacitance between the vibrating rods and the helix vanes that conduct the liquid, for which purpose the rods are connected to a pulsating electric energy source. This primary vibration is also controlled by the action of a permanent magnetic field produced by semi conducting media arrayed on a central tubular support of the helix, in such a way that the harmonics of the vibration that affect the incompressible liquid are transmitted to the biological contents of the liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for treatingfluids by imparting high frequency vibrations to the fluids.

2. Description of the Background Art

Water in liquid state is an essential element for life. Certain minimalpotability conditions, which refer not only to the water's physical orchemical characteristics but to its microorganism contents are requiredin order to use this liquid for human consumption. In order to eliminatesaid microorganisms, chemical treatments for potabilization such as theapplication of ultraviolet radiation, reverse osmosis, and even boilingthe liquid at home are used, some of them with adverse side effects.Simple filtration of the liquid is not enough to eliminate harmfulmicroorganisms. The need of water for human consumption, which complieswith health requirements has given origin to water treatment in anindustrial scale, and even if it complies with purity standards, it hasa very high cost. It can be stated that there is no device in the marketfor either industrial or domestic use that for a reasonable cost andeasy installation, provides a dependable form to treat water accordingto health standards.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The behavior of a liquid medium, to be virtually incompressible, isknown. A displacement or pressure applied to part of said liquid istransmitted to all of the liquid's volume, and a vibration exerted tosay liquid will derive in the resulting vibration of the liquid and itscontents. The present invention is distinguished from known inventionsas it provides a device that allows the application of mechanicallyoriginated vibrations to a fluid medium, specifically to liquids. Thedevice takes advantage of the incompressibility characteristic ofliquids in such a way that the undulation of elastic media in the liquidwill result in the liquid's vibration.

The undulation of these elastic media will be such as to provide aprimary vibration and its harmonics at very high frequencies in theneighborhood of megahertz, which when applied to a liquid, will makethis liquid and its contents vibrate. Due to the primary vibrationfrequency and its harmonics, which will turn out to be the frequencythat impacts the mass of the biological contents of the liquid with thegreatest intensity, the vibration will thereby destroy, inhibit oraffect the reproduction of algae, fungi, bacteria or viruses in theliquid.

Thus, the invention provides in a functional combination, a plurality ofelongated elastic rods, which are disposed in a liquid flow stream, andmeans for directing the liquid into contact with the elastic rods insuch a manner that causes the elastic rods to vibrate. This vibration inturn imparts a vibration to the liquid, thereby treating the liquid bydestroying or inhibiting the growth of the biological contents of theliquid. In the preferred embodiment, a multiple vane helix is positionedin the flow stream and each of the elongated elastic rods passes throughperforations or apertures in each of the vanes. The rods are heldloosely in the perforations so that as the vanes direct the liquid flowthrough the helix in a generally spiral fashion, the liquid will impacteach of the rods, thereby causing a displacement of the rods whichresults in a resonant vibration of the same. To enhance the vibration ofthe rods further, an electrical capacitance effect is employed wherein apulsating high frequency electrical current is applied to the helixvanes and the elastic rods, which in effect act as opposite polarityplates of an electrical capacitor. The vibration of the elastic rods isalso preferably increased and controlled by a permanent magnetic fieldthat is produced by a plurality of semiconductor bodies contained in acentral support tube of the helix. The magnetic field acts over theelastic rods in a such a way that the undulation of the rods is furtherenhanced and controlled.

The essential purpose of the invention is thus to provide a device forthe treatment of liquid fluids that takes advantage of the liquids—incompressible characteristic, thereby using the liquid as a vehicle forthe application to its biological content of undulations or vibrationsproduced by elastic media with controlled intensity and frequency, sothat this vibration will considerably affect fungi, algae, bacteria orviruses contained in the liquid.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a tubular container forthe liquid that allows its circulation and a helix, which directs theliquid towards the vibration elements in the helix and is supported bythe tubular container.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide vibration media,consisting of elongated elastic elements or rods, which act in the helixthat directs the liquid flow, which elements are displaced with anundulatory movement by the circulation of the liquid in the helix.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide, by the effect ofelectrical capacitance, an increase in the vibration of the elastic rodsor elements, produced by the interaction of a pulsating current in thehelix as well as on the elastic elements, which capacitance increasesthe displacement of the vibrating elastic rods or elements and alsodetermines the desired range of oscillation.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide in such a device,magnetic media generating low power lines of force that contribute tothe intensity and frequency control of the vibration of the elastic rodsor elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention,the same numbers designate the same parts on the different figures ofthe drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a lateral elevation of the device showing its installation ina hydraulic system, which provides a passage for liquid fluid for itstreatment by the application of a mechanical vibration.

FIG. 2 illustrates in a cross section a lateral elevation of a tubularcontainer and the relative array of the central support, fluidconduction helix and rods or elongated vibration bodies, as well as thecentral support cylinder and permanent magnetic field semiconductormedia.

FIG. 3 illustrates in a front elevation, the assembly of fluid flowhelix and the central support cylinder, containing the semiconductorfield generation media.

FIG. 4 illustrates in a conventional perspective the helix and centralsupporting cylinder assembly, showing the relative position of thishelix with interspaced perforations in its vanes, as well as thesupporting means for the vibrating elements or rods.

FIG. 5 is a lateral perspective view of the assembly of the centralsupport and liquid flow helix and the oscillating elastic rods,operating in the center of the perforations in the vanes of said helix.

FIG. 6 is a lateral elevation, showing the helix assembly, vibratingelastic rods, central support and means for fixed support and freesustainment of the rods.

FIG. 7 is a perspective elevation, showing on the back vane of the helixassembly, the rod supporting bushings and in its front vane, the freesustainment means for the rods, as well as showing the different lengthsof these rods for obtaining different frequencies of the vibrations.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a vane of the helix, showing the relativeposition of an elastic rod in the center of a perforation in the vane,which in the partially enlarged view, shows the existence of liquidaround the rod and schematically the array of a dielectric materialwithin the vane's perforation.

FIG. 9 illustrates in a lateral elevation and cross section of the backpart of the device, the open end of the tubular container and its capwhich includes watertight seals and electrical connection media for thevibration rod ends, which connection is of the electrical arc type, dueto the open space between the end of the rod and the electrode cap.

FIG. 10 illustrates in an exploded view, the conductor to the electricalsystem, the closing stopper that contains and retains this conductor andthe end of the vibration rod provided with its electrode and deformablewasher with watertight seal.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The modality of the invention as illustrated in the drawings comprises atubular container 11, which is open both at a threaded back end 11′, andat a front end 12, and is provided with an apertured lateral projection13. The lateral projection 13 acts as a liquid intake to the container11 and is connected to a first pipe 14, which supplies water or otherliquid to be treated from a hydraulic system or other source of liquidto the container 11. A second pipe 14′ is connected to the front openend 12 of the container 11, which open end 12 acts as an outlet for thedevice, for redirecting the water or liquid back to the hydraulic systemafter treatment by the present invention. A closing cap 15, withthreaded media 15′, is screwed onto the threaded open end 11′ of thecontainer 11 and has an elongated tubular cylinder 16 fixed to itscenter, which cylinder has a front open end 17, in which is disposed astopper 18. A back end 19 of the elongated cylinder 16, is affixed tothe cap 15 by a bolt 19′. To provide a watertight connection between thecap 15 and the container 11, an annular washer 20 is disposed betweenthe cap 15 and the open end 11′ of the container 11.

The central cylinder 16 supports a helix 21 for the flow of the liquidto be treated. The helix 21 includes a plurality of vanes 22, each ofwhich has a plurality of interspaced perforations or apertures 23.

The illustrated modality of the invention includes four elongatedcylindrical bodies or rods 24, each of which is elastic to facilitatedisplacement and thus vibration in response to the flow of liquid intocontact with the rods 24. Preferably, the rods 24 are of differentlengths to obtain resonant vibrations of different frequencies. Each ofthe rods 24 is attached at first fixed ends 24′ to a corresponding oneof a plurality of bushings 25 that are secured to a first, rear vane 22″of the helix 21. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first, rear vane 22″ isaligned approximately with one side of the liquid intake lateralprojection 13.

A last, front vane 22′ of the helix 21 contains a plurality of largerdiameter perforations or apertures 23′ in each of which a correspondingone of a plurality of centering bushings 26 is inserted for reception ofthe elastic rods 24, which are allowed certain free movement whenvibrating in order to compensate their position during undulation.

This assembly of the central support 16 and multiple vane helix 21 willprovide an adequate flow for the liquid for a longer distance than thelength of the tubular container 11. With the elongated bodies or rods 24positioned in the passage of the liquid, this liquid, when flowingtowards the rods 24, will displace them, according to the length of eachrod, and its position in the different vanes 22 of the helix 21.

The elasticity of the rods 24, will force such rods to return to theiroriginal position, which will result in a vibration of these rods 24which is transmitted to the liquid in movement.

Preferably, the described assembly also provides an electricalcapacitance effect which results from the combination of rods 24 withthe perforations 23 in the vanes 22. The perforations 23 are shown indetail in FIG. 8, which shows a single one of the vanes 22, with theperforations 23 that correspond to each of the rods 24. An insulatingcoating 27 or dielectric is disposed between the rods 24 and the edgesof the perforations 23 which provides the capacitance effect mentionedbetween the rods 24 and the vanes 22 when an electrical potential isapplied across these elements.

This capacitance provides for each of the rods 24 a displacement effectwhich is multiplied by the number of the vanes 22, and which is added tothe thrust already been applied to the rods 24 by the liquid massflowing through the vanes 22.

To obtain the desired capacitance effect, an electrical potential mustthus be applied to the rods 24 and the vanes 22 of the helix 21. This isachieved by connecting a rear end 24′ of each of the rods 24 and thecentral support 16 of the helix 21 to a current source 40 which providesa direct pulsating current which results in further control of thevibration of the rods 24. With the purpose of providing the pulsatingelectric energy to rods 24, the invention includes in these rods anelectrode end 28, which is secured to cap 15 of tubular container 11, insuch a way that it is placed at a certain distance apart from aconnector-stopper 29 that is threaded to the cap 15. Thisconnector-stopper 29, one for each of rods 24, has a perforation 29′, inwhich the end of a conductor 30 is inserted, for connection to thecurrent source 40. The passage of an electrical current will operate thecapacitance media formed by vibration rods 24, vanes 22, andperforations 23, which capacitance effect will be produced when anelectrical arc is formed in an open space 31, between the end of theconductor 30, in the connector-stopper 29, and the electrode end 28 ofthe elongated or rod 24.

In the enlarged cross section view of FIG. 9, and in FIG. 10, thecorresponding connection of these elements may be seen, as well as theopen space 31 in which the electrical arc is formed.

The assembly of cap 15 and connector stoppers 29, is watertight by meansof the annular washer 20, and a plurality of deformable washers 32, oneplaced at the electrode end 28 of each of the rods 24. Moreparticularly, on each of a plurality of conical openings 33 in the cap15, one of the washers 32 is provided, which assumes a conical shapeupon being deformed that seals the openings 33 and the rods 24, therebynot allowing any leakage of the liquid flowing through the container 11,but providing the electrical connection of the rods 24 to the currentsource 40.

As described and illustrated in FIG. 2, the central tubular supportcylinder 16 preferably contains semiconductor media 34 which is providedin order to generate a magnetic field. This field will also have aneffect on the rods or elongated bodies 24, in order to assist in thefrequency and intensity control of their vibration or undulation.

A description has been made of this basic modality of the invention,which comprises a device to allow the passage of, liquid mass through aconduction helix in which a set of rods, or elongated bodies, operate,resulting from the pressure applied by the liquid mass on the elasticrods in a displacement of said rods, which return to their originalposition and initiate an oscillation or vibration, that continues due tothe constant pressure exerted by the flow of the liquid mass.

This vibration is increased by the pulsating electrical capacitanceeffect over the rods as each rod moves close to and away from the vane'sconductive material, thereby producing an increase of the rods vibrationand controlling its frequency. This control over the frequency is alsofine tuned by the action of a permanent magnetic field produced by thesemiconductors in the central tubular support affixed to the tubularcontainer.

The design of the components of this device and their combined operationprovide on the liquid mass flowing inside the device a vibration, whichin its harmonic frequencies is transmitted to the liquid, which being anincompressible medium, in turn transmits these vibrations to thebiological content of the liquid mass; i.e., algae, fungi, bacteria andviruses, thereby destroying them or inhibiting their vital functions.

The device, as designed and constructed as described, can beadvantageously used when there is liquid which has to be treated by anymeans for the suppression or destruction of algae, fungi, bacteria orviruses. This is the case of water purification plants, in which it isexpected to obtain a liquid that is not only treated for the suppressionof salts or non-desired chemical components, but is also treated tosuppress or destroy any biological content which is harmful toconsumers.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for the treatment of liquids in a flowstream comprising: a support disposed in a flow stream of liquid to betreated; a helix attached to said support and including a plurality ofvanes each having a corresponding plurality of perforations therein; aplurality of elongated elastic rods attached to said helix and passingthrough said perforations in said vanes, said vanes serving to directsaid liquid flow stream into contact with said rods, thereby imparting adisplacement force thereto, which in turn results in a vibration of saidrods; and a source of pulsating current connected to said rods and saidvanes that creates an electrical capacitance effect that furtherenhances the vibration of said rods.
 2. The device of claim 1, whereinsaid rods are selected to have different lengths to thereby generatevibrations at different frequencies.
 3. The device of claim 1, furtherincluding a tubular container for housing said support and said rods,said tubular container having an inlet for receiving a liquid flowstream and an outlet for discharging said liquid flow stream aftertreatment.
 4. A device for the treatment of liquids in a flow streamcomprising: a support disposed in a flow stream of liquid to be treated;a helix attached to said support and including a plurality of vanes eachhaving a corresponding plurality of perforations therein; and aplurality of elongated elastic rods attached to said helix and passingthrough said perforations in said vanes, each of said rods beingseparated from said vanes by means of an insulating material in each ofsaid perforations; whereby, said vanes direct said liquid flow streaminto contact with said rods, thereby imparting a displacement forcethereto, which in turn results in a vibration of said rods.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein said support further includes permanentmagnetic field generating means to enhance still further the vibrationof said rods.
 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said magnetic fieldgenerating means comprises semiconductor media disposed in said support.7. A device for the treatment of liquids in a flow stream comprising: asupport disposed in a flow stream of liquid to be treated; a helixattached to said support and including a plurality of vanes each havinga corresponding plurality of perforations therein; a plurality ofelongated elastic rods attached to said helix and passing through saidperforations in said vanes said vanes, serving to direct said liquidflow stream into contact with said rods, thereby imparting adisplacement force thereto, which in turn results in a vibration of saidrods; and permanent magnetic field means in said support for enhancingthe vibration of said rods.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein saidmagnetic field generating means comprises semiconductor media disposedin said support.
 9. A device for the treatment of liquids in a flowstream comprising: a tubular container having an inlet for receiving aliquid flow stream to be treated and an outlet for discharging said flowstream after treatment; a support disposed in said container; a helixattached to said support and including a plurality of vanes, each havinga plurality of perforations disposed therein; a plurality of elongatedelastic rods attached to one of said vanes of said helix and extendingthrough said perforations of other of said vanes of said helix; saidvanes serving to direct said liquid flow stream into contact with saidrods, thereby imparting a displacement force thereto, which results in avibration of said rods and in turn imparts a vibration to said liquid,thereby treating said liquid; and a source of pulsating currentconnected to said rods and said vanes that creates an electricalcapacitance effect that further enhances the vibration of said rods. 10.The device of claim 9, wherein each of said rods is separated from saidvanes by means of an insulating material in each of said perforations.11. The device of claim 9, wherein said support further includespermanent magnetic field generating means to enhance still further thevibration of said rods.
 12. The device of claim 11,wherein said magneticfield generating means comprises semiconductor media disposed in saidsupport.
 13. The device of claim 9, wherein said rods are selected tohave different lengths to thereby generate vibrations at differentfrequencies.